Where Is The GPS?

Ever been standing around and all the sudden things didn’t look very familiar anymore? Where are you? Currently, according to my Global Positioning System feature on my Blackberry, (as I write this blog entry) I am at 36.07604, -79.569007. Hmm… But what does that say about me?

When we get lost today we might be more prone to respond, “Where’s the GPS?” rather than choosing a more primitive option like stopping and asking for directions.

Do you know where you are? Maybe the better question is to ask: Do you know who you are?

One of the most central struggles in life seems to stem from our flawed decision of trying to live into the expectations of other people (or those expectations we set for our self). Why is it that we sometimes decide who we will be based on what we “think” others want to see in us?

Heck… A full day of pretending to be someone you are not can be totally exhausting! And if you do it for long periods of time, your body shuts down completely in order to regroup and recover. Or, you become someone far from the true and real you hidden within, loosing sight of reality. Lost, and completely unaware... Do you know people who seem to go through these cycles? Maybe you can see these tendencies in yourself.

Believe it or not, finding our way in life begins with discovering who we are. Discovering who we are helps us understand how we got somewhere (where we are).

If you are really up for it, the Bible gives us a HUGE hint toward the answer. According to Genesis 1:27, we (you and I) are created in the “image of God.” The Latin for this is imago dei, which actually refers to two things: 1) How God loves and cares for humanity; and 2) God’s own “self-actualization” through humanity (the fulfillment of God’s gifts made clear in our lives for God’s purpose).

Being created in the image of God gives us a pretty solid place of orientation. If you think about it, we often get lost because we get turned around and deviate from the path. So, we have to stop, get our map out, look around, and identify some landmarks (orientate ourselves). It’s only after taking this time to pause and reflect that we can actually discover our location. I am obviously now speaking of “location,” not in the physical sense, but the spiritual…

Do you know your spiritual location?

If your answer is “yes,” then you are another step closer to discovering who you are (and more clearly where you are!). God wants to use you for God’s purpose -- the “you” that God created with specific gifts. In order for this to be manifested, we have to give God room in our lives to help us find the way -- not our way, but God’s…

There are no shortcuts available or quicker trails to take for this discovery. This kind of discovery requires you to be very intentional and deliberate in your quest… It’s a continuous process of communion (the sharing of time and intimate thoughts and feelings) with God.

So… Where are you?

Don’t panic… You can discover by answering the question, “Who am I?” God is ready and waiting. Are you willing to choose a more primitive option like stopping and asking God for directions?